Route One
by snarechan
Summary: They knew the mission wouldn’t be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…
1. Chapter 1

Route One

By Snare-chan

**Pairings**: Hinted Jinx/Jak  
**Ratings**: PG-13  
**Category(ies)**: General  
**Warning(s)**: Cussing  
**Status**: Continuation, 1/5  
**Summary**: They knew the mission wouldn't be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…

**Notes**: I completely, without a doubt, 100 percent blame this on jaygoose and her be damned love for the Jinx. If it weren't for _her_ nothing like this would have ever happened. I hope you're proud of yourself, missy, because look what you've gone and made me do! ;P

In all seriousness, though…yes, I'm serious, you really don't see Jinx used a whole lot, do you? Well this all changes today! Band together my fellow fanfic writers, and unite to bring the smoking, cussing, wisecracking, blonde bomb expert to life! Or something.

**Disclaimer**: I dun own Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 or Jak…anything; wish I did like everyone else. They should put Jak in stock, then I'd buy it all!

* * *

"_You boys in the mood to cause some more trouble?"_

_Jak and Daxter calmly made their way to the back of the Naughty Ottsel, taking a seat at the bar next to Torn. Neither needed to answer, the mere perk of long and furry ears at the mention of some action was sign enough of their thoughts on the subject._

"_Because I've got a scout that's reported new metal head nests, and they've infiltrated our turf."_

_The proposition sounded pretty nice. By this point they were already ahead in the war, but it was a position that could still be easily lost at any given moment. Anything they could do to help destroy either of their enemies, the KG bots or metal heads, was a risk that was worth taking. Still, some are more cautious about such good sounding news..._

"_I'm sure this is a stupid question, but uh...exactly where is it?"_

"_Where else, rodent? The Metal Head city. Well, the start of it anyway."_

"_Why did I have a feeling you'd say that?" Daxter moaned, dramatically making a show of almost fainting off Jak's shoulder. He managed to prevent this from happening by collapsing against his friend's head._

_The old KG Commander continued without pause, "It's currently cut off, so you'll have to find a way in - or make your own."_

"_And that's where _I _come in."

* * *

_

While Jak had predicted that their mission wouldn't go smoothly, he'd had no idea that it'd be as bad as _this_. Things like this never worked out right - metal heads were unpredictable, unstable, and instinctive. You'd have better luck trying to figure out Dark Jak's next move than a metal head's. Not to mention infiltrating enemy lines is never an easy job. Usually it's a one-man deal due to the hazard factor, so when you have two and an ottsel, it's asking for trouble.

Problem was, he and his accomplices hadn't even _crossed the border into MH territory yet_. The gates, which he'd opened not too long ago, were just coming into view and already they'd run into heaps of problems. Namely, lots and lots of Sling Blasters and Grunts.

"Hey, pretty boy, ya mind kicking it up another notch? We've got metal heads on our asses here!"

"He's already going as fast as he can!"

Not to prove his partner wrong or anything, but Jak revved the throttle and increased their speed. As the world passed them by, it began to blur, resembling splashes of random color on a green and yellow canvas out of the corner of his eye.

"JAK!"

"Now this is more like it!"

He barely acknowledged them as he instead concentrated on what was up ahead. Whenever he raced like this, at full speed, nothing existed but the open road in front of him. Traveling in this swampy terrain might not be the same as racing in a stadium, but all that really changed was the amount of thrill involved.

And nothing beats an adrenalin kick like driving for your life.

Their destination, a hidden ammo facility in the old part of the city, was tucked away very well. The building with the nest in it was located close to areas that the people of Haven had already taken back, and since they didn't want the enemy to have a chance to retrieve it later, it was up to this small party to keep that from happening in the future.

From what Torn was able to tell them, there were only two ways to even identify the site: one being from above, and the other from the back of the stronghold. At the current point in time, it would be impossible to approach either entrance without catching unwanted attention, so they were going to infiltrate the government building beside it and sneak on through.

Supposedly, the old ammunition hold was made near the start of the old Baron's rule. It was a backup in case one of the main factories went out of commission or was destroyed, so a good portion of what was made was tucked away for safe keeping.

That building, from what he was able to understand, should connect right through, basement-to-basement, to the ammo storages. Unfortunately, since it was so close to the ammo point it was also right in the center of the marshy area; getting there would be half the trouble.

All of that, at least, explained why it was several feet underground and undistinguishable except by blueprints, but he couldn't help but wonder why the metal heads would be stupid enough to lay their eggs in a place with enough explosives to nearly take out that entire area. It was like they were asking to be blown sky-high, in which case Jak and company were more than happy to oblige.

Then again, the beasts probably didn't expect many to get far enough to do much damage…

A purple shot of eco heading straight for them broke through Jak's deep concentration, causing him to swerve out of the way. The side of their vehicle collided with the nearby wall, and sparks flew as moss and other plant-like life broke off to reveal the metallic layers of offices beneath. He really hated two-seaters. It was like trying to control a Blast Bot. At least their durability made up for the lack of mobility – which was about the _only_ thing he could say the machines had going for them.

He ignored the loud yelp of fear right next to his ear as he pushed off the wall to correct their direction as another bout of firepower floated through the air. This time he wasn't so lucky to get by, and the contraption rocked with the force of eco as several blasts struck home. One glance back revealed thick clouds of black smoke and fire spouting out the end. So much for durability…

"Hey, Jakey; cutting it a little close there!"

"We're almost there!" he shot back, pushing the Flyer to its limits. He knew he should have gone with a damn Cruiser…they might be slower than anything around, but at least they could take more than a shot or two.

"There's the opening, Jak!"

The entrance wasn't much, just a small crack between stones near the bottom of their destination. If you weren't really looking for it, you could pass right on by and never know the difference. Maneuvering around to it while taking on heavy fire from Snipers was neither graceful nor pleasant, but by using their vehicle as a sort of battering-ram to pass through the ground troops and the small inlet, he managed it with little effort.

As soon as they were grounded he loaded his gun and, setting it to Beam Reflexor, he fired two random shots to distract those few metal heads left from the crash, giving them ample time to make their getaway and hightail it inside to begin this whole ordeal.

"Ok, boys, the nest won't even start until we get to the bottom of this joint, so if you were expecting a short stroll through the park, you can banish that thought now," Jinx started calmly, having been briefed about all this far before Jak even got wind of it. He knew why he was here, anyway – to provide the brawn, though both were going to do be doing some dirty work.

"Are these things _ever_ meant to be quick and easy?"

"Not really; just thought I'd let you know we're gonna have a lot of bonding time ahead of us. And don't go screamin'; the place is loaded with them metal heads. One false sound and – bam! – getting into this place will be a total blow out."

"Hah! Jak and I aren't afraid of some bloodsuckers! You just concentrate on finding that equipment, and _we'll_ worry about-ARGH!"

Without warning, the ceiling above them gave away, a large Stinger landing right on top of them. Jak quickly disposed of it with one shot before giving his friend a doubtful look. Daxter returned it with a sheepish one of his own.

Rolling his eyes, Jinx decided not to even comment, instead proceeding forward and starting them down the path towards the basement. How in the world he knew even remotely where he was going was a mystery, since the place was in absolute shambles. Green material was covering every inch of the floors and walls, sometimes even cutting off areas that might have at one time been hallways or doorways to other rooms. If that wasn't causing enough problems, most of the building was falling apart at the seams. Holes in the floor, the ceiling collapsed…it was like an obstacle course set out right in front of them.

Getting through wasn't the only challenge for them, either. As they moved through the corridors of the building, they had to move quickly as well as quietly, something easier said than done. Almost every sidestep, no matter how careful, seemed to give them away, and one wrong jump caused unwanted squeaking that alerted the whole floor of their presence.

Jinx hadn't been joking when he said the place was busy, either. Metal heads were after them no matter what they did, and disposing of them was more of a challenge than usual. Jak in particular had to be careful in which gun mods he used, otherwise he'd have the whole place crashing down on them.

"Are we there yet?"

Jak had to give it to his friend; he _had_ been quiet for almost a whole half an hour.

"Buddy, don't you dare start that!"

"…So, are we there yet?"

"We've got two more floors, pipsqueak, keep your freakin' pants on!"

Dax was about to point out that he didn't wear pants, hadn't for a while, and had he had any left he certainly would keep them on. But since that was currently not the case…Jak quickly silenced him before he could start something. None too gently, perhaps.

"Ow! What was that for!"

"Do I have to blow someone's head off to get some peace and quiet around here! Fuckin'-"

Skittering was heard up ahead, causing everyone's complaints to fall silent. The sound happened again, this time to their right. Then their other right. Then up above… They looked all around, eyes darting for the slightest sign of where an assault was coming from, but there was nothing for them to see. Hesitantly, Jinx sparked one of his lighters to life.

Metal heads…they were everywhere. On the walls, across the floor, the odd angles of the ceiling and support beams…everything that could fit one currently had a MH perched on it. It was like out of some nightmare – one that they couldn't currently wake up from. Slowly, they started to back up, but quickly found out there really was nowhere _to_ back up. Jak's only cover was being back-to-back with Jinx, and that wouldn't really do them much good when those beasts decided to attack.

"Kind of remind ya of somethin'?" Jinx murmured, his lighter still lit and causing several of the golden jewels around them to glitter, reminding them of their current threat.

He had hated that mission too. But this wasn't the sewer, which had been stable and made with several layers of metal and cement. Wordlessly, Jak switched his gun over to Vulcan Fury, since he was going to have to take the chance and use all the firepower he could get.

"Jak?"

"There's no time; I'm gonna try and make a path. Go for it if you can."

"You have to be kidding me!"

Apparently he must have been, because it was not possible to free up enough space for anyone to get through. After a volley of shots, a path would begin to appear, only to get flooded back up again. If he shot one, two more took its place. Jinx had even pulled out his pistol, but it wouldn't hold out for long against these numbers. This just wasn't working like he'd planned.

"Jinx, you got anything that can take these guys out?"

"Like something that _won't_ have this building doin' a Haven Palace impression and collapsin'?"

"Just something big enough to...make a distraction, or create a hole to get through."

"Oh sure, because we can sooooo run at the speed of light!" Dax interrupted coolly, "While we're on the subject, why don't we have Dark-boy help with the explodey! Nothing like being flattened like a pancake."

"..."

"Wait, I didn't mean it Jak!"

"Jinx, switch places with me."

There was no time to argue, and so they circled around back-to-back so that Jinx was now facing the way they'd come and Jak towards the exit. All the while he fired shot after shot, wanting to get some distance between their enemies. Once there was enough room he packed up his gun and…just let it all go.

The transformation was instantaneous. Tapping into that familiar store of dark emotions and power was like a second nature to him now, and not having been summoned in a while, his other side was almost overeager to wreck some havoc. He had enough control to fire off one shot to clear a path; it was only a small strip that Jinx would have to squeeze past in a couple of minutes, but it was the best he could do at the current point in time.

"Aw man, this is bad!"

"You heard the man, so no time for whinin' chipmunk!" Grasping the orange ottsel off Jak's shoulder, he moved at the same time of Jak's first big attack.

Now that he was alone, it was much easier to get rid of the current metal head population that was unfortunate enough to stick around. Despite the difficulty, Jak kept his strength hidden, wanting to create a long enough distraction for his companions to get down to the basement before he tried anything serious.

The creatures weren't very clever, and it wasn't long before they tried to solve the threat with their numbers. The masses went at him all at once, trying to overpower Dark Jak with a dog-pile assault. As they clawed at his legs and crawled over him, only a second later did an explosion of pure dark eco send them all flying back to the corners of the small space.

The floor gave a threatening shake before stilling. Those few metal heads that had survived the large blast recovered quickly, this time approaching more cautiously. They'd already underestimated their prey, and as they began to circle him, they were careful to surround him. Dark Jak had no patience for this, and by now his allies had most likely made it.

With a snarl, he slammed his fist into the ground, sending out a dark purple ring. The shockwave left nothing behind, including the floor. With a final lurch, the level shattered like it was glass, breaking off into little pieces.

His work done and no more things left to kill, Jak returned to normal before he retreated to the exit his partners had already passed through, leaping the last couple of inches to the stairwell. After a quick glance down from his position, it was clear they would just take too long, and with a daring leap, he fell through the last few layers of the building to land at the bottom floor. To soften his fall, he pulled out his Jet-board at the last minute.

Behind him, everything was coming down like an imploding circus tent. Floor after floor tumbled through, creating a several-ton weight heading straight for him. Just up ahead, he spotted Daxter and Jinx, confirming that they'd gotten here safe and sound.

"What the hell'd you do, blondie!"

"Yeah, you've literally brought down the house!"

"No time, gotta run gotta run gotta run!"

Still on his Jet-board, he grabbed for Jinx's arm, pulling him along before he hopped onto the nearly-too-small mode of transportation. Dax transferred shoulders, having to shout for even _him_ to be heard over the noise.

"Jak-"

He already knew what Dax was going to say, even as he watched for falling rubble. "We're going to make it!"

Suddenly the world around them exploded, sending the board and them into hyper drive before knocking them off.

Then it all went black.

* * *

To be continued… 


	2. Chapter 2

Route One

By Snare-chan

**Pairings**: Hinted Jinx/Jak  
**Ratings**: PG-13  
**Category(ies)**: General  
**Warning(s)**: Cussing  
**Status**: Continuation, 2/5

**Summary**: They knew the mission wouldn't be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…

**Notes**: Gah, you have no idea how glad I that I finished this chapter before school really got started. College Prep courses…insert shuddering of extreme horror and pain here please. Thank you.

But enough about my school life, and on with the story! In answer to Krin's lovely, in-depth review (thank you thank you thank you!) this fic takes place _in game _(though no where specifically - save before Jak reenters the city), partly because I haven't finished the game myself and seen the ending to feel comfortable enough working outside of it…despite the fact that people have already spoiled it for me. XD

And always thank _all of you reviewers_. Without your input there would be…no input. Drunk inducing hugs all around!

**Disclaimer**: I dun own Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 or Jak…anything; wish I did like everyone else. They should put Jak in stock, then I'd buy it all!

* * *

_-click-_

_Wincing, Jak slowly started to come to. Not even awake yet, and already he knew he was in a whole world of hurt. A voice in the back of his head noted that having an entire building come down on a person tends to be painful._

_-click-click-_

_It was confirmed that he was beaten and bruised when he was conscious enough to make that mistake so many others have been well known to do. Opening his eyes, he scowled and was closing them again a moment later. But it was too late, his entire body was sending him signals for every scrape and scratch he'd received._

"_Mornin' sleeping beauty."_

_Turning his head weakly to the side, he saw the flicker of Jinx's lighter disappear as he took a long drag from his cigarette, the hint of smoke drifting upwards to disappear a minute later._

"_How long have I been out?"_

"_I'd say two hours, tops. Have a nice nap?"_

"_Wasn't long enough..." he mumbled, carefully trying to sit up and get a better view of their surroundings. This was also a big mistake, as proven by the fact that even more pain shot through his body. He wasn't sure how it was possible to hurt any more than he already did, but apparently it was. Using the nearby wall, he was able to drag himself up enough to see where they were._

"_Where are we? Where's Dax?" The absence of chattering complaints made the small expanse unsettling._

_Taking another long drag, Jinx chuckled darkly, ignoring his questions. "It's almost ironic…we're trapped like rats."_

* * *

"Dax? Dax!"

Fighting through the pain, Jak felt along the walls, trying to get through or find even the smallest crack. On first glance, he might have thought it was a room they'd fallen into, but upon closer inspection and hearing Jinx's observations, it appeared that the fallen building had cornered them. Cement and twisted metal circled them in all directions, like some deadly cocoon.

Rubble and other building materials lay strewn about the small room-like space. Dust and green bits had settled some time ago to cover everything in a thin layer, including the two of them. Besides that, it was hard to tell anything else about where they were due to the lack of lighting.

While Jak was busy looking for a way out, Jinx just chugged away at cigarette after cigarette; he was probably on his third or fourth by now, though Jak wasn't really paying attention.

As the renegade continued to run his fingers over the expanse of their surroundings, something crumbled at his fingertips, creating a small hole just barely big enough to see through. Some green light filtered through, signaling that he'd broken through, if only just a tiny bit.

"Daxter? Can you hear me?"

He was saved from having to risk digging deeper by the soft clicking of claws on stone. The chance of it just being a metal head was marginally larger than seeing his fuzzy friend, but the sight of a familiar pair of eyes shoved aside all odds. Sighing with relief, he leaned more heavily on the wall. Daxter was really okay; he was alive and not stuck in here…

"Jak, you're alive! Well, of course you're alive, you're JAK! You doing okay in there?"

"We're alright; how about you?"

"Oh, doing okay. Metal heads running amuck, the ceiling still raining down over my little head…it could be worse. Wait, did you just say _we_?"

"Jinx is in here with me."

An eerie silence fell for a moment after the remark, which was first interrupted by Dax's uncertain reply.

"Oh…"

"Yeah, happy to hear your heavenly voice, too, fur puss."

"Dax, can you see any way out of here?"

The renegade's quick attempt at distraction received no good points. Luckily, from what his friend could tell from outside their confinement, the two of them had gotten caught in an air pocket. Unluckily, they were covered in several floors with no escape. If it weren't for that small eyehole, they would be cut off from any source of air at all.

"So…I guess now would be a good time for a brilliant plan, Ja-," Daxter started to comment, leaning against the large mound his companions were stuck in. His small weight seemed just enough to knock the rocks down a little, covering the small hole that had been there and cutting him off.

"_Dax_!"

With a scowl, Jak waved his hand in front of his face to brush the dust out of his way. Of all the times misfortune could befall them, this was one of the worst.

"Well that settles that, I guess."

"What does?"

"Our only hope is a downsized, orange sewer-rat, and he's just demonstrated his talents…ya wouldn't happen to have bag of magic tricks, huh?"

Jak scowled slightly, even though the other could most likely not see it, and sat back against the wall. He hadn't given up yet, but even he could admit it was looking kind of bleak.

"No…but you have explosives," he pointed out, trying to at least make use of his time and formulate a plan.

"Oh yeah, to do what with?" The other seemed to pause, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "You've already brought down this joint _once_. I highly doubt it can take another hit."

Though it would do no good now, Jak tried to estimate how much eco he had left. "I'm also out of dark eco."

"Well there's an upside: no more metal heads ta worry about!"

The deep sarcasm didn't escape Jak either. He had already realized that all he'd managed to do thus far was get them from the pan to the fire and prolong their suffering.

Another hour passed like this with him trying to come up with something – _anything_ – to get them out in one piece. Jinx wasn't stupid, and while Jak appreciated his insight, not much was gained except that, combined, they had found 345 ways to die painfully slow, and well over that when it came to not getting out of their predicament altogether. Not much in the comforting department.

"Alright, how about this," the renegade continued, his speech becoming more difficult now that their air supply was growing thin. "What if we tried going out through the top?"

"The building came _down_ on us Jakky, there must be over two whole floors above us. Digging our way out of this grave would be like swimming through an ocean…of rocks," Jinx pointed out, the sounds of paper being crinkled signaling that he'd pulled out another cigarette. With how he'd been chugging at the things, he had to be close to being out.

Snorting, Jak rested his head back against the wall. "You realize now isn't the best time to be smoking, right?"

"If I'm going to die, I'm going to die chocked full of a happy little thing called nicotine. No pain, no pain." Here he paused again, the small red ember signaling the end of the stick bobbing up and down for a moment. "Want one?"

"No."

"Suit yourself."

The two of them lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts. Jak still wasn't giving up, but it felt like he'd gone over everything. Explosives were out, dark powers were out, and digging was out…everything seemed to be out, unless Dax managed to come through. Fatigue was starting to clog his senses, yet he still put all his energy into thinking. As long as he was doing something, there was still time.

"Ya know…I never figured I'd die like this."

Jak started from his thoughts, glancing over in Jinx's direction, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I could see myself getting an arm blown to smithereens and bleedin' to death, or being eaten by a metal head, but suffocation? Sure escaped me." His chuckle was interrupted by a harsh cough.

"We're not dead yet."

"Heh…hehehehe… Lady luck and her guardian angels sure are taking their time, then." The other's chuckles continued. "And ya know…I never did show you those battle scars, did I?"

Jak had nothing to say in response.

* * *

To Be Continued… 


	3. Chapter 3

Route One

By Snare-chan

**Pairings**: Hinted Jinx/Jak  
**Ratings**: PG-13  
**Category(ies)**: General  
**Warning(s)**: Cussing  
**Status**: Continuation, 3/5  
**Summary**: They knew the mission wouldn't be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…

**Notes**: Saa…two more chapters to go, yes! Now the real fun can begin, though my favorite chapter is coming up. Hope you enjoy, and as always love those reviews! Hugs, kisses, thanks, child giving…I mean love all around.

**Disclaimer**: I dun own Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 or Jak…anything; wish I did like everyone else. They should put Jak in stock, then I'd buy it all!

* * *

_It was completely silent in the cavern-like space. His companion had drifted off some time ago along with the soft glow that came with lighter and cigarettes being burned away, similar to the minutes ticking off his lifeline._

_He wasn't sure if Jinx was even breathing anymore, though if he himself was, perhaps the other was too. All that smoking couldn't have been good for him, but he'd still done it. Tiredly, Jak shook his head, trying to stay awake. A vain attempt, since the motions only made him drowsier._

_Coughing harshly, he curled up on himself, his goggles sliding down his forehead slightly with the action. _

'Lady luck and her guardian angels sure are taking their time…'

_He'd heard somewhere that when you're close to dying you start re-living your life, sort of like an out of body experience. Only for Jak, it seemed like he was forced to watch the last couple of minutes of his life in slow motion – what he'd heard, what he could have done differently, how he never got to say goodbye to Daxter._

'…guardian angels…'

_Another cough erupted from his lungs, this one strangely more painful than the last one had been._

'…angels…'

* * *

Starting awake with a gasp, Jak gagged slightly in surprise as he was unable to take in enough to comply with his lungs' demands. He lurched forward and tugged down his red scarf, trying to free a little room for his throat. The blonde had no idea when he'd dozed off or why he'd woken up for that matter, but he had an inkling that he was forgetting something.

He raised a hand to his forehead, rubbing it in deep thought. Had he been dreaming? Looking back on his thoughts, he could only recall bits and pieces, much of it of little importance now. What was he _forgetting_?

His breathing was becoming labored as he wracked his brain for what it was he needed to remember. It was something Jinx had told him, an absent note or lapse of sanity. It was crazy, though it was hard to pick out what the other said that was _not_ of that nature.

"An…gels?" Was that it? The word felt familiar, rolling off his dry tongue with a feeling of rightness. But what about angels?

_Maybe I'm the one going crazy, now_ the renegade thought dryly. This idea was all he had so far, and with his remaining amount of air nearly depleted, it was all he had time left for. Latching onto it, he started to list everything about them – the only good kind of angel is one with wings.

Wings… 

That's when it clicked.

Finally having made a useful connection, he strained to keep with it. Nodding slowly, he attempted to get to his feet. Trying to do so only got him more of a headache as he collided with the roof of his confines, so he voted for crawling over to Jinx. He'd only have one shot at this, because if the plan didn't kill him then the lack of oxygen would. Jak was a man of chances though, and was willing to take the risk towards survival.

Feeling with his hands, his fingers touched the fabric of a pant leg, and moving upwards, he felt his way along. A twitch or two under the pads of his hand revealed that the other man wasn't dead yet, and muttering something that he hoped would keep the other from asking him what he was doing, he finally found what he was looking for. Lifting the lighter out of Jinx's pocket, he snapped the metal clip to fire it up, looking over the two bands of explosives laid out on the other's chest.

He was no expert on these sorts of matters, and trying to find something timed was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Flipping a couple over and going through a few didn't help, and added with his failing vision, made matters worse. How did the other fit so many on here and know which were which?

"Jinx…any…thing timed?"

A couple seconds passed where the other didn't even move, but finally, a calloused hand reached up and tapped two particular pockets, which revealed to hold some red and blue looking metal contraptions. Without wasting another moment, Jak snatched the palm-sized boxes and started placing them towards where he'd talked to Daxter last. Unable to hook them up or reset them, he made due with what he could manage, pushing down on a lighted switch and watching the clock numbers count down from ten seconds.

00:10

Scrambling back, he snatched the other's now-unconscious form from his position against the far wall and cradled them both as far away from the exploding devices as possible. In that short span of a couple seconds, it was nerve-wracking. Usually living on the edge didn't bother the renegade, but fighting to the death and waiting to see if your body is going to become part of the décor were hardly the same.

00:05

The eco boxes made some sort of clicking sound, signaling that they were about to go. Bracing himself, Jak clutched Jinx closer, his head ducking down as he hoped this would work.

00:01

Like a Peace Maker going off at full power, a gigantic explosion of bright red lit up the entire cavity and then some as pure eco went skyrocketing off every which way. Rocks and metal shattered as the bombs' destructive capabilities completely wiped out the debris that had been covering the two comrades.

As soon as the devices had gone off, Jak had tapped into that new power he'd discovered, the white eco… When sparks started flying, his wings unfurled, providing even more cover for them as he created a shield of light to protect them.

Eyes clenched shut, he could only hear as material pounded against his magical shield. Stones belted against it like bullets, threatening to shatter it as time went on. It was becoming too risky to stay in this spot, and with the last of his strength he started in a random direction. If he could get around a corner or hide behind a pillar it would sure make his job easier.

Disappearing into a room, he let up on his shield and light form when all the commotion had settled down. Drained and ready to get as much oxygen into his lungs as possible, he collapsed, gasping and panting. He only had enough energy to briefly check over Jinx before allowing himself a well-needed rest…one he'd actually be waking up from.

* * *

"Jak…?"

He winced, the current disturbance one he could do without. He was still tired and worn out, and only had one thing in mind: sleep.

"Jak, buddy, wake up!"

"What is it?" Mumbling incoherently he rolled over, receiving a yelp right in his ear.

"Hey, pal, watch where you're moving! You almost got my poor tail…"

Suddenly peeking open one eye at the loud voice, at first all he got was an eyeful of orange fur. Opening up the other got him the sight of a cute, button nose.

"Daxter?"

"Yes, it is I! And you, you are finally awake!"

The already up-close sight of his friend got a whole lot closer as his face received a furry hug. Carefully, so as not to smoosh his friend, he started to sit up. Almost obediently, his friend hurried over to his usual perch on Jak's left shoulder for balance. Or to get comfy; it was one of the two.

"What happened?"

"What, hit your blonde little head too hard, pretty boy?"

The new voice came from over in the corner, and not wanting to jar his head any further he turned his entire body around to face its owner. Jinx, very much alive and ready to make things go boom, was back to gnawing on the end of a cigar. The previous experience must have wiped out his cigarette stores.

"No…maybe," he admitted softly, his voice needing to get used to talking now that he had air surrounding him. "Do _you_ remember what happened?"

"Luck's right hand angel apparently paid us a visit, eh?" Not waiting for an answer, he stood up, brushing off the green bits of powdery plant life and dirt from his clothes before offering a hand up to Jak. He took it gratefully, needing a moment to regain his balance before doing anything.

"Where do we go now?"

Jinx merely pointed behind him. Glancing over his shoulder his sights were met with a huge hole the size of a civilian transport vehicle, and beyond that was something that resembled the sewers. Water merrily dripped from the cracked edges of the entrance and smells Jak could have happily gone without wafted through at them.

Heading back out since all of them wanted this over as soon as possible, they passed into the even darker area, Jinx activating a light switch on the floor as they passed.

"You had me worried there for a moment, Jak," Daxter suddenly spoke up, his words betraying his nonchalant voice, "I was looking everywhere for something to get you guys out when you nearly brought the place down. Again."

Jak rolled the shoulder his partner was sitting on, it being his equivalent to 'thanks for worrying'. Dax nodded before straightening up and nearly yelling down the pipe, "I thought the nest was in the basement of some building?"

"Torny's scouts said it _might_ be in a basement. It still might be; these pipe'ins could lead into it."

"Oh great, and I just had my fur dry-cleaned!"

Instead of pointing out that his friend already is dirty thanks to the previous building's collapse, Jak pulled out his gun with the Plasmite RPG mod. Now that they were on stable ground, he didn't have to worry as much about what he used to get rid of their enemies. This was a very fortunate thing, because it turned out the place was covered wall-to-wall in all sorts.

"We must be getting' close," Jinx noted aloud, his booted leg footing another bomb into a secluded corner to go off later. The more places they cut off for the metal heads the better.

"We had better be! I'm actually starting to get used to this smell," Daxter whined, huddling closer to Jak's hair, "And I feel a cold coming on!"

"You've got a furry coat, how can ya even get sick?"

"I just can!"

Jak shook his head, feeling a slight tug from where Dax had taken hold of some hair to use as a makeshift blanket. While Jinx was busy setting up, he decided to move on ahead a little and clear things up so they could progress faster. As he turned the corner he was only met with a mesh wall, some Precursor text spray-painted on a nearby surface in bright yellow.

(Danger: Turn back now or face the wrath of the Baron)

"This must be the place, eh?"

"…"

"Yeah, yeah…I'm going."

His friend scurried off his shoulder and over the wall to disappear on the other side. If this was the place, he didn't want to go blasting any holes through the wall in case his bullets hit more than just it. While he waited for his partner to open the way, Jinx rejoined them just in time to see the fence pull away to let them through…to see the biggest group of explosives any man could witness. Row after row of every kind of bomb and grenade lined every inch of floor and wall, for as far as the eye could see.

One look at Jinx confirmed this was some sort of commando dream come true, the expert's grin almost too big to hold onto the stick stuck in-between his teeth. It was almost scary how he resembled a kid in a candy store.

"Woo-boy; the Baron was packin'!"

What else could be noted were the several sickly yellow and green eggsacks hanging on the surface of _everything_. Clusters of them were on the racks and floor. None of the parents seemed to be in the premises, however, which seemed kind of strange.

"How long will it take you to set everything up?"

"Hm?"

The other was scrounging through a box he'd opened to their right, several small black and white contraptions brimming to the top. Whatever they were, they had his full attention, so with a shake of his head, Jak vouched to start exploring until the other was ready. For him it was probably like some superstore, and he'd be about and around the place for at least an hour before bothering to get the job done.

Heading a bit deeper in, Daxter eventually rejoined him, chattering away and asking questions Jak couldn't answer. The farther back they went the older the nests became, signaling that they had arrived here just in time to destroy large numbers of the MH army before they hatched and were able to do any damage. A couple days more and several of the nests here would most likely be overflowing the small outposts they'd set up above.

"What do you think this one does?"

"Don't touch it," Jak muttered instinctively, following his companion as he moved over to a large shelf on his other side.

"Aww, I'm not going to!" As he said this, he lifted one of the contraptions up to examine it better, the small round device shining a brilliant yellow color. There was some small bit of script on it. "The…Destroyer F15h-12K…hm, sounds promising."

Beside it were some others, all equally the same size but shining a different shade. The batch of them seemed to be designed with all the ecos in mind (save white, of course), but what their purpose was, Jak had no clue whatsoever. Besides names and a short line of statistics he couldn't understand, there wasn't anything else written.

_Growl…_

"You hungry too, buddy? I sure am, when's lunch?" Dax absently asked, positioning himself back on Jak's shoulder.

"Hn…wait, what?" Jak started, looking haphazardly at his companion. He'd thought the sound just now had come from _him_. "Wasn't that you?"

"No…wasn't that you?"

Exchanging a nervous glance between the two of them, they slowly turned around.

* * *

To Be Continued… 


	4. Chapter 4

Route One

By Snare-chan

**Pairings**: Hinted Jinx/Jak  
**Ratings**: PG-13  
**Category(ies)**: General  
**Warning(s)**: Cussing  
**Status**: Continuation, 4/5

**Summary**: They knew the mission wouldn't be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…

**Notes**: Not much to say this time around, save two things… This is my absolute favorite chapter, and yes I had too much fun writing it. You'll know why soon enough. –cackles- The other isn't nearly as important. Just reminding you all that the fifth and final chapter of this story is right around the corner! Happy happy day. :)

**Disclaimer**: I dun own Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 or Jak…anything; wish I did like everyone else. They should put Jak in stock, then I'd buy it all!

* * *

_Hovering over them now was a small group – but a _group_ nonetheless – of metal head mothers and fathers. Each were exceptionally large and armed quite literally to their razor sharp teeth. _

"_Um…hi…nice nursery you have here. Homely and everything."_

"_Daxter!" _

It was too late. The sound of the ottsel's voice set them off, and two long strides and a wide leap later, they were heading straight downward to attack. Just as quickly, Jak raised his weapon, firing off two rounds and managing to get rid of one before it landed on his face.

_Moving towards the wall, he continued to fire, aiming straight for them in an attempt to avoid setting anything off. Too soon, he was nestled up against a wall, stuck between a hard place and some gooey eggs. His proximity to them might have set them off again, and with renewed vigor the remaining two metal heads charged. Their careless actions cost them, and were easy targets to be disposed of._

_Sighing with relief, Jak rested his full weight against the wall. That had been close…and that's when he felt something shift against his back.

* * *

_

They were completely surrounded. No matter where they looked or ran, eggs were hatching, the tiny babies inside squirming and twisting around in attempts to break free of their old beds. Their tiny chirps and gnashing snarls followed Jak as he rushed back the way he'd come.

"Jinx!"

"What _now_?"

"Don't 'what now' us, buddy! The eggs; they're hatching!"

The bomb expert looked up from his work immediately, wires and other pieces caught between teeth and cigar butt as he looked at them in surprise.

"What?"

His answer came as a horde of little metal heads came falling from the rooftop and shelves, their bodies still slimy and wet from their shells. Without warning, one landed on Jak's ear to instantly starting chewing on it. It would seem they were born with their teeth already in.

"Ouch!"

"I still need more time! If I can't hook all the units up, I need to at least get the big boys to play nice."

While Daxter did all the complaining for him, he started firing off random shots, cursing every single one of them as they crawled closer. Now he understood where the entire sticking-together pact came from as he watched the ones he destroyed be replaced with two newly-hatched ones every single time. Cursed genetics… If this was going to become a typical thing, then he was going to start refusing to work with Jinx on missions.

clickclickwhiiiir

"Dammit!" Jak switched to a different mod, only to receive the same empty treatment from before. Scatter gun…Blaster…Vulcan Fury…even his Peace Maker was out of ammo. He'd used up every bit of what he'd had! The renegade had absolutely no choice but to resort to hand-to-hand, his fists knocking as many back as possible.

"_Jinx!_"

"Just keep covering my ass, I'm almost done!"

"We don't have that kind of time!"

That's when he remembered he was in a _weapons_ _storage compartment_. Pausing long enough to snatch something off the shelf and, since he was the closest, Jinx himself ("Hey! I said cover my ass, not grope it!"), he clicked the first one on and just threw it into the middle of the masses. A large blue vortex blew from the spot, sucking in the nearest mini metal heads and sending shockwaves right through them at once. When it had cleared Jak tossed in another, not giving them the chance to recover and watching as a bright red flash appeared and started raining down on all of them with something akin to flames.

"Alright, everything's set to go!"

"Finally!" Dax cheered, tugging on Jak's ear to get him to start moving, "Ya hear that buddy? Let's blow this joint!"

Jak was more than happy to oblige, and throwing in the last of his grenades, he didn't wait around to see what it would do. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted some purple swirls covering the floor, though. On their way out, Jak activated the mesh wall from before, wanting to buy enough time to get his group out, but keep the metal heads in for this place's last stand.

The babies didn't give up and started trying to eat through the wall, the sounds of their little teeth gnawing and their claws scraping on it echoing through the sewer walls. But this was why Jinx had set up the earlier detonators, and he pulled out the switch to let them go off as they left through the many tunnels.

A large BOOM had the whole place shaking soon after, cement and other bits covering up the exit and providing a great divider to keep the little metal heads busy until the bigger bombs went off any minute. There was still the fact that they would have to get out before then, which wouldn't be easy now that their first entrance was demolished.

"Do you know how to get out of here?"

"Not a clue, pretty boy."

"Oh great! Then what was the point of escaping if we're just going to be crushed to death?"

"If ya ran as much as you talk, you wouldn't have much to worry about!"

"Let's just head as far away from here as we can. Eventually we'll get far enough, right?"

Another explosion, even larger in scale than the previous one, shook the very foundations they stood on. The grimy walls gave them no support as they collapsed against them and slid to the murky floor. More soon followed, each growing in intensity as they went off. The sound alone had Jak's teeth chattering from its power.

"D-does it-t s-soun-d lik-e it'-s get-ting c-loser?" Dax tried to ask, barely able to get a single word out that was distinguishable.

None of them could be really sure. Even with their long ears, the entire scenario sounded about as loud as it had in the first place. But Daxter was more in tune to these sorts of things, and growing a bit nervous at his declaration, Jak clutched harder to the floor. The containment room didn't reach out this far, did it?

And that's when he heard it: the sound of rushing water.

Chancing a look over his free shoulder, his eyes widened considerably as the large tidal wave of dirtied water came flooding down the tube. None of them even had the chance to get up on their feet and try to outrun it before it was upon them, rushing them like a tsunami and dragging them towards some unknown destination.

It was impossible to fight. Wherever the large source of water had come from, it was still full and intent on pushing and pulling them whichever way it wanted. Jak couldn't see or breathe either, the sewer way completely full of it.

When he thought he couldn't handle anymore without risking to take in some air, the water level started to die down, the group of three sliding on the ground. Jak wasn't quite sure where Jinx had gone off, but from the feels of things, Daxter had ducked into his shirt for cover.

"Jinx?"

"That…" the blonde expert started as he got to all fours, "was the _best_ chain of reactions I've ever made…"

Jak snorted and only ended up coughing up some water. Somewhere beside his head, Daxter flopped around like a dying fish, sputtering and shaking out his soaking wet fur. Double-taking, the blonde looked at his friend and then down at his shirt with the moving mound in it. Scrambling to get it up, he finally just tugged the collar down, a small lizard-like head popping out and bumping noses with his.

"AH!"

As he yanked the baby metal head out of his shirt, it latched onto his hand, tiny fangs sinking into his gloved fingers and refusing to let go.

"Uh…make a new friend, blondy?"

"No! Help me get it off!"

"No can do; my expertise is in explosives, not metal heads."

"_Jinx!_"

The metal head finally let go as soon as anyone came near him, hissing and spitting before diving down Jak's shirt again. It snuggled around a little before stilling completely in a little ball near his stomach.

"Well would you look at that; you're a mommy!" Jinx cackled.

Cautiously, Dax moved over to his friend's sitting position and gave the lump a poke, a sort of hissing sound soon accompanying the action.

It took but a moment before Daxter ventured to say anything. "This is kind of awkward."

"Aww…don'tcha two just look so-"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence!"

Straightening up into a sitting position, Jak wondered if he should really bother to try and forcefully remove the creature, but one glance at the bite marks on his hand had him deciding that it could be dealt with later. It wasn't really doing any harm right this minute so it could live. For now.

"Come on; we've done our job, so let's get out of here."

"Amen to that!" Daxter crowed, shifting up onto his shoulder.

* * *

To Be Continued… 


	5. Chapter 5

Route One

By Snare-chan

**Pairings**: Hinted Jinx/Jak  
**Ratings**: PG-13  
**Category(ies)**: General  
**Warning(s)**: Cussing  
**Status**: Continuation, 5/5

**Summary**: They knew the mission wouldn't be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…

**Notes**: Yay, the epilogue! You have no idea (or, perhaps you do…) how good it feels to get another story done and over with. It was an immense joy to write, and an even bigger one to know people out there enjoyed my work. Hope this ending doesn't disappoint, and if you love the little metal head as much as I do…then try and keep your eyes peeled for a bonus chapter/one-shot in the future. Woot!

I swear, I've not created a monster.

**Disclaimer**: I dun own Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 or Jak…anything; wish I did like everyone else. They should put Jak in stock, then I'd buy it all!

* * *

"_Are ya sure this is the right way, furball?"_

"_Sure I'm sure! I never forget a thing when it comes to this stuff!" The ottsel shot back, looking down at Jinx as the two humans made their way up a rickety stairwell. "Me and my buddy here have been all over the sewers, and I know it like the back of my paw!"_

_The pony-tailed blonde snorted, managing it perfectly even with the newly-lit cigar in his mouth. "That explains the smell…"_

"_You're no bouquet of roses yourself!"_

_Shaking his head, Jak continued upwards towards the surface, the small bundle still tucked away in his shirt making small snuffling sounds in its sleep from time to time. Just up ahead was a hatch door, and reaching for the turning wheel, he started to undo the lock._

"_It's rather convenient we ended up under the city, eh Jak? Reminds me of the time we broke back in. We got kind of wet that time too…"_

"_Under the city? Fuzzy, we're under the port-"_

_At Jinx's factoid, the lid above them gave a weakening shudder before exploding open, torrents of brown water flooding on top of them.

* * *

_

Something just _bit_ him.

Cracking open his eyes, Jak was met with nothing but the murky depths of some body of water and a very anxious metal head child down his shirt. The last thing he recalled was being in the sewers, and at the realization that he might be swimming around in _that_, he became fully charged and started swimming. He felt around with his hands in search of the others and came across something long and hairy…

It could only be his friend, Dax, and he quickly snatched him up while at that very moment something grabbed _him_. He couldn't really tell what, but as he started being pulled up, he assumed it was Jinx. At least he seemed to be all right if he was half swimming and half dragging him around in the water.

As he started to run out of air, the renegade started swimming as well, the water starting to change from dark black to shades of brown as they neared the surface. Breaching it, they all took a large gasp of air, Jak pulling out his Jet-Board as a makeshift raft. Outside of the water, a rainstorm was brimming the surface of the enclosed lake, the waves it created making it none-too-easy to hold on.

"If I ever…ever…see…Torn…again…I'll…kill him!" Dax gasped between gulping in large amounts of air.

"Why not tell him that now?"

"I would if he was here, duh!"

"Then do you want to repeat that?"

As one, everyone looked up, squinting against the droplets of rain to see Torn and some of his men on a civilian transport. He was looking perfectly clean and dry in there.

"Uh…hi, Torn, long time no see?"

"Just get in here before I change my mind."

They were more than happy to comply. Using the Jet-Board and a quick hand up, they were able to step onto dry ground. One of the blue guards got a scare, however, as he reached out to help Jak in and almost had his hand entirely eaten as the baby metal head made another appearance and popped out of his sleeve.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

"Oh, didn't you know? Jak had a kid," Daxter supplied casually as he started to shake himself dry…as close to Torn as possible.

With the entire squad looking upon him Jak only stated, "Don't ask."

Torn snorted. "Wasn't going to."

With everyone now onboard, the vehicle took off, heading back to a docking area where they could get off safely. In the meantime, the two blondes plopped down beside Daxter with a wet 'flop', Jak in particular slumping back against the wall with the intention of doing nothing but get some well deserved rest…

…Until a clammy arm slapped down around his shoulders, the strong odor of cigarettes filling his nostrils as Jinx leaned in close.

"Ya know…since we're alive an' all, we have all the time in the world for me to show you them scars," he drawled, a ring of smoke fluttering in front of his lashes. "You still interested?"

-Fin-


End file.
